Biz leaders press Boehner to move on immigration

The North Carolina Chamber of Commerce was among 636 businesses and business groups who sent House Speaker John Boehner a letter this week urging him to pursue an immigration overhaul this year.

“Failure to act is not an option,” the business leaders wrote. “We cannot afford to be content and watch a dysfunctional immigration system work against our overall national interest.”

The signers spanned the spectrum of the business world from tech to agriculture to finance. They included N.C. Farm Bureau, Apple, Inc., Halliburton, McDonalds, Caterpillar, and General Electric.

Boehner sought to tackle an overhaul this year. In January, he introduced a list of principles that Republican House leaders would use as a template for future legislation. But within days of the release, the issue was in trouble as more conservative members led an outcry against the proposal that included offering millions of undocumented immigrants legal status.

This month, Boehner expressed doubt that the House would move on immigration. He said Republicans did not trust President Barack Obama would enforce any laws they passed.